ALEXANDER KOVALENKO19:27, 01/15/24

The destruction of the strategic A-50 aircraft and the Il-22 air station of the Russian Federation is a unique case not only in the modern, but also in the global history of wars and conflicts. I don’t even remember anything like this in history.

The A-50 is a long-range radar surveillance aircraft that was used by the Russians to conduct reconnaissance in Ukrainian airspace, to record the presence of aviation in the airspace, in particular, tactical aviation of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, launches of missiles of such types as Storm Shadow in the direction of temporary occupied territories. In addition, it is an important element in determining targets for Russian aviation. Also among its functions are the adjustment of missile attacks on the territory of Ukraine and increasing the effective range of Russian air defense systems, in particular, such complexes as the S-400.

The Shmel radar system needs repairs, which is quite difficult for Russia.

Russia has few A-50 aircraft in service – only nine. They were produced during the Soviet Union, but now this production does not exist. In total, Russia has 9 such aircraft. One of these nine is undergoing endless modernization, which is unlikely to ever end. The other two are not combat capable.

So the Russians had six combat-ready aircraft of this type. However, one of them also received damage (in Belarus) and was taken out for repairs. The Shmel radar system needs repairs, which is quite difficult for Russia, given its current technical and technological capabilities. In my opinion, they are unlikely to be able to repair this plane.

Thus, after the destruction of the A-50 on January 14, functional aircraft of this type, which were constantly in the airspace for duty and support of their tactical aviation, as well as providing the necessary intelligence information, there were four left in the Russian Federation.

Thus, for Russians these two events are a serious blow to their prestige.

No less important is the damage to another Russian aircraft – Il-22. In fact, this aircraft is a control point, a relay aircraft that ensures stable communications during combat operations, as well as communication between units and command posts and headquarters. Its destruction is a rather serious, painful blow to the Russians. After all, although the aggressor state does not have so few such aircraft (compared to the A-50), their number is also limited. According to various sources, there are slightly more than twenty of them in Russia. At the same time, Il-22s are also not currently produced in Russia.

Thus, for Russians these two events are a serious blow to their prestige. At the moment, they are even ready to admit that the destruction of the A-50 was supposedly an error by themselves. That is, that it was some kind of friendly fire – “friendly fire”, that they themselves were such hands…

They cannot admit that Western weapons, and especially Ukrainian ones, are better than Russian ones . Also, the occupiers cannot admit that they can be reached, that they cannot intercept missiles, that they cannot counteract this or that weapon. I will not put forward versions of how exactly we were able to reach the Sea of ​​Azov, the destroyed A-50 and the damaged Il-22, but it is possible that we are talking about the use of some, let’s call it that, unusual combined methods of influence.

Another interesting point: almost on the eve of this Russian defeat in the air, near Avdeevka, in the Stepnoye area, the American M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle shot down the Russian T-90M Proryv tank with its 30-mm cannon. This is also a unique case in history when an infantry fighting vehicle shoots at a tank. And, considering that for Russians the Proryv tank has no analogues in the world…

By the way, the Russians call the “Dagger” missile, which has no analogues in the world, which is shot down the first time. Let me remind you that at one time the Russians did not agree until the very end that the first downing of the Kinzhal had occurred; they even claimed that the Ukrainians had shot down the BetAB 500 aerial bomb. In general, they were ready to invent various nonsense in order not to admit the obvious: that the supposed uniqueness of their weapons was in fact only their ambitions, not confirmed in reality…

We deftly destroy Russians not only in the near or middle zone, but even in the deep rear

The destruction of the A-50 aircraft and damage to the Il-22 aircraft will partially affect the situation with the occupiers’ flights. Without these aircraft, their grouping loses the necessary intelligence information for functioning, therefore, partly those A-50 aircraft that Russia has left will continue to fly – carefully, with some restrictions. Apparently, not on round-the-clock duty, as it was before.

Will this unique story affect support for Ukraine? Our partners have long seen that the Ukrainian Armed Forces effectively and professionally use the weapons they are given. But it cannot be ruled out that such great successes may prompt our partners to speed up the process of transferring to us some very interesting range of weapons.

After all, I repeat, these facts are so unique that they have a positive impact on the US Congress, Great Britain, France, Germany and other countries. The more such demonstrative technical equipment of the Russians is destroyed, the better for us in many aspects. After all, this is our portfolio, demonstrating that we deftly destroy Russians not only in the near or middle zone, but even in the deep rear.

Alexander Kovalenko, military-political observer of the Information Resistance group

(C)UNIAN 2024